Envelope-charging device



June 30, 1925.

C5. W. VVMJ EIT I'L.

Erw/131.10m Mmmm 12m/mrs Filed April 1524 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 30,1925. G. W. GWINN ET AL ENVELOPE CHARGING DEVICE Filed April 5. 1924 2Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY new??? im.

Patented June 30, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATEN'Iv OFFICE.

GEORGE W. GWINN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, AND WILHELM B. IBRONANDER, OFMON'ICLAIR, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORS TO AMERICAN MACHINE & FOUNDRY COM-r`PANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

ENVELOPE-CHARGIN G DEVICE.

Application led April 5,

To 0?/ 'tr/ont muy conocen:

Be itl known that we, Geenen W. GwlNN and WnJnaLM B. BuoNANnnn, citizensof the United States, respectively, residing at Brooklyn, county otKings and State of New York,.and at Monl clair, county of Essex andState ot New Jersey, have invented a new and useful l'n'iprovementinEnvelope- Charging Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in envelope charging devicesand it has for its main object the production ofa simple device forautomatically, successively and rapidly moving envelopes from a sourceof supply, opening them and charging them with articles; or in otherWords, loading articles into them. With this and other objects notspecifically mentioned in view, the invention consists in certainconstructions and combinations which will be hereinafter fully describedand then specifically set forth in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying.,r drawings, which florm a part of thisspecification and in which like characters of reference indicate thesame or like parts, Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a device constructedin accorda-nce with the invention; Fig. 2 is a rear elevation ot thedevice shown in Fig. 1, certain parts being shown in section; Fig. 3 isa cross-sectional view, on an enlarged scale 1nd taken on the line 33 inFig. 1; Fig. 4 is an inverted plan view ot the so-urce of envelopesupply or magazine, taken on the line 4-4 in Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is aninverted plan view ot the spout., taken on the line 5-5 in Fig. 1; Fig.6 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line (5*6 in Fig. 5; Fig. 7 isa plan view of the suctionhead taken on the line 7-7 in Fig. 1; andFigs. 8, 9, 10 and 11 are diagrammatic views illustrating the operationof the device.

ln carrying the invention into effect, there is provided a source ofenvelope supply or means for supporting a plurality of open envelopes,means for successively removing envelopes therefrom. a spout in the pathof the flaps of the moving envelopes, and means for pushing articlesAthrough said spout into the envelopes. In the best constructions, thesupporting means is in the form of ay vertical magazine, from' thebottom of which the envelopes are removed; Vthe push- 1924. Serial No.704,508.

ing means also conveys the charged envelopes beyondrthe range of actionof the moving means'and discharges them in a delivery chute; the movingmeans include-s a suction head; and means for controlling the suction isalso provided. All of the above mentioned `parts and means may be widelyvaried in construction within the scope of the claims, for theparticular device selected toi illustrate the invention is but one ofmany possible concrete embodiments of the same. The invention thereforeis not to be restricted to the precise details of the 4structure shownand described.

Referring to the drawings, 12 indicates the main frame of the device,.and 13 is an auX- iliary frame for supporting certain parts of thedevice.

'lhc device handles envelopes, the flaps of which are open, and meansfor supporting a plurality of the open envelopes is provided. As shown,this means includes a vertical magazine 14, from; the bottom of whichenvelopes are successively removed, and in which the envelopes arestacked with their flaps uppermost and open. To hold the stack ofenvelopes in the magazine, the latter is provided at its bottom withlips 15-15 upon 'which the sides of the stack rest. As the envelopes aresuccessively rcmoved from the bottom of t-he magazine, the stack is feddownward by gravity.

The means for successively removing t-he envelopes from the supportingmeans in order that they may be opened and charged, includes a suctionhead 16, the interior of which is in communication with one end of ahose 17. The other end of the hose 17 is secured to an elbow 18supported by the auxiliary frame 13,l and provided Witha gate valve 19.The elbow 18 is also connected with one endof a hose 20, the other endof this hose being connected to a suitable suction producing mechanismwell known and not shown. The suctionvis controlled by operation of thevalve 19. To this end, the said valve has a universal lioint 21connected with one end of a connecting rod 22. The other end of thisconnecting rod is pivoted to a lever 23, fulcrumed at one end Y on a bar24 extending across the main frame 12. "The free end of the lever 23carries a cam .bowl 25 rolling on the periphery of a cam 26, the latterbeing fast on a sha-ft 27 L4 to the lslide 30.

journaled inthe frame 12. The cam bowl 25 is held to its duty by meansof a spring 28, one end of which is secured to said lever, and the otherto a suitable stud in the frame l2. The cam 26 is shaped to cause thevalve 19 to open the suction when the head 16 has been moved up intocontact with the low-V ermost envelope in the magazine, and to hold itopen until an article hasbeen charged into `the envelope; whereupon thesuction is cut off. i y

The suction head 16 lis carried on two pairs of parallel links 29--29which are pivotedto a slide 30 mounted on a bar 31 supported by' theframe 12 before referred to. To reciprocate the slide 30 on the bar 31,the slide is connected to `one end Vof a link 32, the other end of whichis connected to an arm 33. The Yarm 33 is cast integral with al long hub34 having another arm 35 close to the frame 12, theY hub 34 beingmounted' on one end of the bar 24 before referred to. The arm 35 carriesa cam bowl 36 which tracks in a suitable groove in a cam 37 ifast onthe. shaft 27 Vbefore referred to. This shaftcarries a gear 38 which isin mesh with the driving gear 39 fast on a shaft 40 which is the mainpower shaft of the machine, By the mechanism just described, the slide25() is reciprocated in proper timed relation with the other movingparts ofthe device.

The suction head 16, however, has a further movement toward and awayfrom the bottom of the magazine 14. To this end, it is provided with acam bowl 41 rolling on a right-angular cam 42 supported by the frame 12.Then the head 16 is moved to the left (Fig. 1), the cam bowl 41 rollsalong the horizontal part of the cam Y42 until it meets the verticalwall thereof. The connection of the head with the slideiBO is such.however, that further movement of the slide 30 causes the cam bowl toride up the vertical wall of the right-angular cam 42, and thus elevatethe suction head 16 into position to engage the lowermostenvelope of thestack in the magazine.

On the return.movement of the suction head, however, it is not desiredthat the cam bowl 41 should roll down the vertical wall of theright-angular cam 42 and then along the horizontal parts thereof, foi'the reason that it is desired to canse the suction head 16 to supportthe envelope withdrawn from the magazine in an intermediate positionwhile an article is being chargeds thereinto. lV ith this end in view,there is provided nieansfor supporting the envelope in alignment withthe charging spout while it is being charged. As shown, this meansincludes a trip mechanism associated with the envelope moving means.This .trip mechanism includes a lever43 fulcrumcd at The lower arm ofthis lever is normally held in contact with the stud 44 on the slide 3()by means of a spring 45, one end of which is connected to the lever 43and the other to a pin on the slide 30. The upper end of the lever 43 isAadapted for engagement with the stud 46 on one of the -links 29. Whenthe suction head 16 moves downward from the bottom of the stack ofenvelopes, carrying the lowf ermost envelope with it, the cam bowl 41`first rides down the vertical wall of the right-angular cam 42. As theslide 30 moves away from the cam shaft 27, however, the angularity ofthe links 29-29 is changed and the stud 46 comes into contact with theupper end of the lever 43 which is then in engagement with the stud 44.ThisV engagement holds the suction head 16 in position above thehorizontal surface of the cam 42, as shown in Fig. 9, and it is whilethe suction head and envelope are So held that the article is chargedinto the envelope. After the article has been vcharged into an envelopesupported by the suction-head 16, further movement of the slide 30causes the lower end of the lever 43 to engage the end otra rod 47supported by an arm 48 fast to the end bar 31. This trips the lever 43and permits the suction head to drop to the position shown in Fig. 10.

For the purpose of charging articles into the envelopes there isprovided a spout 49 supported by a bracket 50 attached to the side ofthe magazine 14. This spout lies in the path of an envelope beinv' movedfrom the bottom of the magazine. tlt will be remembered that theenvelopes arestacked iny the magazine with their flaps uppermost andopen. As an envelope moves downward, therefore, its ope'n Hap comes incontact with the spout 49 and is arrested thereby while the body of theenvelope goes down a little farther, that is, enough to permit furthermovement of the slide 30 to cause the suction head 16 to slide the openenvelope on to the spout. To facilitate this movement, the end of thespout is beveled or cut away at 51. The spout 49 is provided on itsunder side with a slet 52 to permit the passage therethrough of a deviceused to push articles into the envelopes. Furthermore, the slot islocated adjacent one side of the spout in order to permit the pushingmeans to clear the suction head 16. Y

The means for pushing articles through the spout into the envelopesincludes an endless chain 53 provided with a series of lugs This chainruns over a sprocket fast on the shaft 27, and over an idle sprocket 56adjnstably mounted in a well known manner inthe auxiliary frame 13before referred to. 'The chain 53 runs continuously and the lugs 54 passthrough a suitable slot in a tray 57, there come in contact with therear of an article and push it through thespout 49 into the envelopethen in open position .on ysaid spout. When the article has been pushedinto the envelope the lever 43 is tripped, the suction head 16 drops outof the Way, and the charged `envelope is pushed into a delivery chute 58from which it is discharged by gravity into a suitable receptacle notshown.

In view of the foregoing, a detailed description of the operation of thedevice is deemed to be unnecessary andis therefore omitted in theinterest of brevity.

What is claimed is:

1.An envelope charging device, comprising means for supporting aplurality of open envelopes, means for successively moving envelopesfrom said supporting means, a spout in the path of the flaps of themoving envelopes, and means for pushing articles through said spout intothe envelopes.

2. An envelope charging device, comprising means for supporting aplurality of open envelopes, means for successively moving envelopesfrom said supporting means, a spout in the path of the Haps of themoving envelopes, and means for pushing articles through said spout intothe envelo es, said supporting means including a vertical magazine fromthe bottom of which the envelopes are removed.

3. An envelope charging device, comprising means for supporting aplurality of open envelopes, means for successively moving envelopesfrom said supporting means, a spout in the path of the flaps of themoving envelopes, and means for pushing articles through said spout intothe envelopes and for conveying the charged envelopes beyond the rangeof action of the moving means.

4:. An envelope charging device, comprising means for supporting aplurality of open envelopes, means for successively moving envelopesfrom said supporting means', a spout in the path of the flaps' of themoving envelopes, and means for pushing articles through said spout intothe envelopes, said moving means including a suction head and means forproducing an angular movement of the same.

5. An envelope charging device, comprising means for supporting aplurality of open envelopes, means for successively moving envelopesfrom said supporting means, a spoilt in the path of the flaps of themoving envelopes, and means for pushing articles through said spout intothe envelopes, said moving means including a suction head and aright-angular cam surface for producing an angular movement of the same.

6. An envelope charging'device, comprising means for supporting aplurality of open envelopes. means for successively moving envelopesfrom said supporting means,

a spout in the path of the flaps of the moving envelopes, and means forpushing articles through said spout into the envelopes, said movingmeans including a suction head carrying a cam bowl working on arightangular cam surface, and operative connections.

y7. An envelope charging device, comprising means for supporting aplurality of open envelopes, means for successively moving envelopesfrom said supporting means, a spout in the path of the flaps ofthemoving envelopes, and means for pushing articles through said spoutinto the envelopes, said moving means including a suction head carryinga cam bowl Working on a rightangular cam surface and supported by a pairof parallel rods pivoted to a cam-actuated slide. a'-

8. An envelope charging device, comprising means for supporting aplurality of open envelopes, means for successively moving envelopesfrom said supporting means, a spout in the path of the flaps of themoving envelopes, and means for pushing articles through said spout intothe envelopes, said spout being slotted to permit passage of saidpushing means therethrough.

1 9. An envelope charging device, comprising means for supporting aplurality of open envelopes, means for successively moving envelopesfrom said supporting means, a spout in the path of the flaps of themoving envelopes, and means for pushing articles through said spout intothe envelopes, said spout' being slotted adjacent one of its sides topermit said pushing means to pass therethrough and clear said movingmeans.

10. An enevelope charging device, `comprising means for supporting aplurality of open envelopes, means for successively moving envelopesfrom said supporting means, a spout in the path of the flaps of themoving envelopes, and means for pushing articles through said spout intothe envelopes, said pushing means including an endless chain avingpushing lugs Working through said spout.

11. An envelope charging device, comprising means for supporting aplurality .of open envelopes, means for successively moving envelopesfrom said su porting means, a spout in the ,path of the aps of themoving envelopes, means for pushing artitcles through said spout intothe envelopes, and suction controlling means. l

12. An envelope charging device, comprising means for supporting aplurality of open envelopes, means for successively moving envelopesfrom said supporting means, a spout in the path of the flaps of themoving envelopes, and means for pushing articles through said spout intothe envelopes,y

and a delivery chute receiving the charged envelopes from said pushingmeans.

13. An envelope charging device, comprismg means for supporting aplurallty of open envelopes, means for successively Inoving envelopesfrom said supporting means, a spout in t 1e path of the flaps of theInov-` ing envelopes, and means for pushing articles through said spoutinto t e envelopes, and a trip mechanism associated with the movinrlmeans and actingto cause it to su port the envelopes in alignment withtil) spout while being charged.

In testimony whereo names to this specification.

GEORGE W. GWINN. WILHELM B. BRONANDER.

, we have signed our l l i 1

